TAJ MAHAL, KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD, ROBERT CRAY, NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALL-STARS, MAVIS STAPLES AND KEB’ MO’ NUMBER AMONG THE NOMINEES FOR THIS YEAR’S BLUES MUSIC AWARDS
Winners will be announced at the Blues Foundation’s Gala Ceremony on May 10th In Memphis
The nominees for the 39th Blues Music Awards are:
Acoustic Album
Catfish Keith – Mississippi River Blues
Doug MacLeod – Break The Chain
Guy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi – Sonny and Brownie’s Last Train
Harrison Kennedy – Who U Tellin ?
Mitch Woods – Friends Along The Way
Rory Block – Keepin’ Outta Trouble
Instrumentalist – Harmonica
Billy Branch
Dennis Gruenling
Jason Ricci
Kim Wilson
Rick Estrin
Acoustic Artist
Guy Davis
Harrison Kennedy
Taj Mahal
Doug MacLeod
Rory Block
Instrumentalist – Horn
Al Basile
Jimmy Carpenter
Nancy Wright
Trombone Shorty
Vanessa Collier
Album
Don Bryant – Don’t Give Up on Love
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter –Right Place, Right Time
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – Groovin’ In Greaseland
TajMo – TajMo
Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – After A While
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Anthony Geraci
Henry Gray
Jim Pugh
Mitch Woods
Victor Wainright
B.B. King Entertainer
Bobby Rush
Michael Ledbetter
Rick Estrin
Sugaray Rayford
Taj Mahal
Instrumentalist – Vocals
Beth Hart
Don Bryant
John Németh
Michael Ledbetter
Sugaray Rayford
Wee Willie Walker
B.B. King Entertainer
Bobby Rush
Michael Ledbetter
Rick Estrin
Sugaray Rayford
Taj Mahal
Rock Blues Album
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – Lay It On Down
Mike Zito – Make Blues Not War
North Mississippi Allstars – Prayer For Peace
Savoy Brown – Witchy Feelin’
Walter Trout – We’re All In This Together
Band
The Cash Box Kings
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter
Nick Moss Band
North Mississippi All-Stars
Rick Estrin & the Nightcats
Best Emerging Artist Album
Altered Five Blues Band – Charmed & Dangerous
Larkin Poe – Peach
Miss Freddye – Lady Of The Blues
R.L. Boyce – Roll and Tumble
Southern Avenue – Southern Avenue
Tas Cru – Simmered & Stewed
Rock Blues Artist
Eric Gales
Jason Ricci
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Mike Zito
Walter Trout
Soul Blues Album
Don Bryant – Don’t Give Up on Love
Johnny Rawls – Waiting For The Train
Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm – Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm
Sugaray Rayford – The World That We Live In
Wee Willie Walker &The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – After A While
Contemporary Blues Album
Beth Hart – Fire On The Floor
Corey Dennison Band – Night After Night
Ronnie Baker Brooks – Times Have Changed
Selwyn Birchwood – Pick Your Poison
TajMo – TajMo
Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Beth Hart
Karen Lovely
Samantha Fish
Shemekia Copeland
Vanessa Collier
Song
“Don’t Give Up on Love” – written by Don Bryant and Scott Bomar
“Don’t Leave Me Here” – written by Kevin R. Moore, Taj Mahal, and Gary Nicholson
“Hate Take A Holiday” – written by Wee Willie Walker, Anthony Paule, and Ernie Williams
“Prayer For Peace” – written by Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, and Oteil Burbridge
“The Blues Ain’t Going Nowhere” – written by Rick Estrin
Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Keb’ Mo’
Michael Ledbetter
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Selwyn Birchwood
Toronzo Cannon
Soul Blues Female Artist
Bettye LaVette
Denise LaSalle
Mavis Staples
Trudy Lynn
Vaneese Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist
Curtis Salgado
Don Bryant
Johnny Rawls
Sugaray Rayford
Wee Willie Walker
William Bell
Instrumentalist – Bass
Benny Turner
Bob Stroger
Larry Fulcher
Michael “Mudcat” Ward
Patrick Rynn
Traditional Blues Album
The Cash Box Kings – Royal Mint
Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio – Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
Kim Wilson – Blues and Boogie Vol. 1
Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter –Right Place, Right Time
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – Groovin’ In Greaseland
Various Artists – Howlin’ At Greaseland
Instrumentalist – Drums
Jimi Bott
June Core
Kenny Smith
Tom Hambridge
Tony Braunagel
Instrumentalist – Guitar
Anson Funderburgh
Chris Cain
Christoffer “Kid” Andersen
Monster Mike Welch
Ronnie Earl
Traditional Blues Female Artist
Annika Chambers
Diunna Greenleaf
Janiva Magness
Miss Freddye
Ruthie Foster
Traditional Blues Male Artist
John Primer
Kim Wilson
Lurrie Bell
R.L.Boyce
Rick Estrin
The 39th Blues Music Awards will be held on Thursday, May 10th, 2018 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center.
Ticket sales are now open!
Individual Tickets – $150 per person
Regular Tables for 10 – $1,500
Premium Tables for 10 – $1,800
The 2018 Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place the night before the BMAs on Wednesday, 9th May. This year’s inductees will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets to the Blues Hall of Fame event are $75 per person, and you can purchase your BHOF tickets with your BMA tickets.
